When you are not making quilted hugs for our injured military, what are your other favourite projects? Do you make wall hangings for the different seasons? table runners or placemats? Bed quilts? The cute little block I have on this post is not mine but I do like to admire the seasonal blocks and quilts that I see online.
Are you aware of the nomination process for Quilts of Valour? Anyone can nominate a recipient for a Quilt of Valour by completing the form on the national website. People nominate their family members, colleagues, neighbours and themselves. The form is fairly simple but there is a box where the nominator can provide some amplifying details about the nominees. They sometimes share a little about the recipient’s military history, sometimes talking about the role that the recipient has had in their lives. I am touched when I see someone’s pride in “my mother wore army boots”. (I think that touches a note in me, because I have said much the same as I grew up.) Sometimes I read stories of pain or grief. My administrative brain is just looking for the detail that confirms that the nominee does meet the eligibility criteria, but my emotional brain is triggered by the little stories I see along the way.
Nationally, Quilts of Valour – Canada Society has presented over 22,155 quilts! So much stitching! So much care, respect and gratitude. Some day, I will have to try to calculate how many of those were presented in Ottawa. I can tell you that we have presented almost 90 quilts this year alone!
Are you in the mood for some more stitching? Our next sew-day is coming up on April 3 at a new location for us. We are being hosted at the Millers Apartments in Manotick (5510 Dickinson St). This is a Retirement Home and the director was very enthusiastic about inviting us. Christine is taking the lead and suggests that we will need to have the ability to mark squares to make half square triangles. Having your own small cutting mat and 6 inch ruler to trim blocks to size would be handy. We are making the birds in the air block on that day. How fitting for spring.
Have you ever tried to use the EQ8 quilt design program? Are you interested in learning more about it? Brigid is willing to offer a workshop on how to get started. She was thinking sometime around the end of April or at least, some time before summer. If you are interested, please drop her a line with an indication of when would be a good time for you.
Happy Easter everyone! I hope you enjoy the spring weather, the excuse for chocolate, and the hints of emerging green.
Happy Stitching Everyone,
Nancy
Coming Events
Wed April 3 — Sew-day, Millers Apartments, Manotick (5510 Dickinson St) 9:30 – 3:00
Wed May 1– Sew Inspired, Arnprior 10:00 – 3:00
June 14 – 15 — Common Threads Quilt Show, Earl Armstrong Arena, Beacon Hill
Contacts: Christine: christine.langlois@quiltsofvalour.ca
Brigid: brigid.whitnall@quiltsofvalour.ca
Robbie: robbiechapman61@gmail.com
Nancy: nancy.arbogast@quiltsofvalour.ca
I am positive that this quilt will bring me much comfort and warmth every time I snuggle into its folds and embrace the special hugs from many Canadians. My sincerest thanks and appreciation, R
Ottawa Region: Quilts of Valour - Canada 